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Antenna doubler plate - prime or not

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recapen(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 4:59 pm Post subject: Antenna doubler plate - prime or not

Fellow tron chasers,



I'm putting a comant bent whip on the underside of my RV6A.  I have a good 

doubler plate (derived from the AC43.13) - pictures if anyone wants to see.

My question is should I prime it?



My initial thoughts are that the existence of the metal structure will 

provide the ground plane even if it is not bonded electrically to the 

structure - meaning prime on......

Otherwise, how is bonding effected as there is a cork gasket that is to be 

installed?  Do the four antenna mounting screws provide sufficient bonding?



Thanks,

Ralph

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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 5:25 pm Post subject: Antenna doubler plate - prime or not

At 08:55 PM 6/17/2007 -0400, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  

<recapen(at)earthlink.net>



Fellow tron chasers,



I'm putting a comant bent whip on the underside of my RV6A.  I have a good 

doubler plate (derived from the AC43.13) - pictures if anyone wants to see.

My question is should I prime it?



My initial thoughts are that the existence of the metal structure will 

provide the ground plane even if it is not bonded electrically to the 

structure - meaning prime on......

Otherwise, how is bonding effected as there is a cork gasket that is to be 

installed?  Do the four antenna mounting screws provide sufficient bonding?


	


   If it were my airplane . . . prime the doubler and rivet to

   the skin and closest handy structural components of the

   fuselage. Drill rivet holes after priming. A rivet driven into

   a properly sized hole swells up and becomes a gas-tight joint

   for bringing the skin and the doubler together electrically.



   Before riveting the doubler in, Cleco into place and put

   a hole pattern in both doubler and skin to accommodate the

   antenna.



   Refer to the figure at:



http://www.aeroelectric.com/Pictures/Antenna/Antenna_Installation.gif



   De-mount the doubler and clean the aluminum round all

   the antenna screw holes on both sides of both skin

   and doubler.



   Now rivet the doubler in . . .



   Leave cork gasket out. Run 1/8" bead of RTV around outside

   edge of antenna base flange before pressing to the skin and

   installing screws. Torque antenna mounting screws to recommended

   limits. If the kit doesn't come with all metal lock nuts, then

   substitute them. Measure torque on lock nut as you're driving

   it down and increase final torque value by that same amount

   for final seating of the nuts.



   This technique strives for permanent, gas-tight joints

   at all antenna mounting holes.



   Bob . . .

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recapen(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 5:50 pm Post subject: Antenna doubler plate - prime or not

Excellent!



I already had the hole patterns done - and the drilling/dimpling.  I'll 

chase it through once with a drill bit through each rivet hole to accomplish 

your suggestion for each rivet - in addition to cleaning all of the screw 

holes.



I already have nutplates for the attachment - I think I have the correct 

torque values in my hangar.



I didn't like the way the cork gasket looked anyway......RTV rocks!



Thanks Bob!



Ralph

---

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gyoung

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 211
Location: Republic of Texas

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject: Antenna doubler plate - prime or not

You might consider using a paintable sealant rather than RTV.



Regards,



Greg Young



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 I didn't like the way the cork gasket looked anyway......RTV rocks!

 

 Thanks Bob!

 

 Ralph

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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:11 am Post subject: Antenna doubler plate - prime or not

My personal preference is to have NO RTV exposed in

   the final installation. All sealing should occur in

   the protected environment between two relatively flat

   and tightly clamped surfaces. After the bolts are torqued,

   wipe away all excess RTV that might ooze out from between

   the antenna and ship's skin.



   Bob . . .



 	  Quote: 	
		  You might consider using a paintable sealant rather than RTV.



Regards,



Greg Young



 >

 > I didn't like the way the cork gasket looked anyway......RTV rocks!

 >

 > Thanks Bob!

 >

 > Ralph

 >



--

8:23 AM

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        Bob . . .



        ----------------------------------------

        ( "Physics is like sex: sure, it may   )

        ( give some practical results, but     )

        ( that's not why we do it."            )

        (                                      )

        (                 Richard P. Feynman   )

        ----------------------------------------

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